Zach Hendrikson can’t wait for spring to get here.

That will be his first season as head coach of the Prior Lake baseball team. He takes over for Al Iversen, who coached the Lakers for the last five years, leading the team to a 45-51 overall record in his tenure, including 31-41 in the South Suburban Conference.

The Lakers had an 8-8 playoff record under Iversen. There was no 2020 season due the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think the best way to describe my thoughts on getting this position are excited and eager to get going,” Hendrikson said. “This program is ripe with talent and has an unmatched desire to win. To be able to be a part of a program with so much success and support from the high school level all the way down to the youth teams, I couldn’t be luckier.

“To be in the hunt year in and year out gets everyone excited for the spring season,” Hendrikson continued. “Could this be the year we finally break through? Only time will tell, but I’m excited to be joining a program where the expectation year in and year out is to compete for a section and state title.”

Hendrikson has been the head coach at Simley High School for the last five seasons. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at St. Croix Preparatory Academy.

Hendrikson becomes the fifth coach at Prior Lake in the last 55 years. Greg Nesbitt preceded Iversen and had a 66-49 record in his five seasons at the helm.

Ryan Schwertman coached the Lakers for three seasons (2011 to 2013). Before that, Darwin Busselman coached Prior Lake for 42 years, retiring following the 2010 season.

Busselman had 535 career wins and when he ended his tenure he was ranked No. 4 on Minnesota’s all-time wins list. He was inducted into the Minnesota Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007.

Hendrikson will inherit a Prior Lake team that finished 9-14 overall last spring (6-12 in the SSC), going 1-2 in the Section 2AAAA playoffs. However, the Prior Lake legion team earned a state berth this past summer, winning the Sub-State 4 title and going 2-2 at state, while ending the season with an 18-14 record.

What the goals be for Hendrikson next spring? One will be to establish a new culture for Prior Lake baseball, one that trickles down all the way to the youth programs.

He also wants his players to be outstanding citizens in the community and students in the classroom.

“From a baseball perspective, a successful season is measured in growth from the previous year,” Hendrikson said. “Our record last year was 9-14. However, I don’t think that record reflects how talented this group of players is.

“Obviously we would all love to win a section title and a state title, and I don’t think that’s out of the question, but that’s not the only way we will measure success in our program,” Hendrikson continued. “If we can continue to get better for each other day in and day out, I think the sky is the limit for this group and the success in the win loss column will take care of itself. That to me is a successful season.”